Sunday Debrief: Verstappen wins Japanese Grand Prix

Red Bull makes it a third 1-2 this season, accompanied by Carlos Sainz taking Ferrari’s fourth consecutive podium finish out of 4 races this season.

 

The race was brought to an early stop after a collision between Albon and Ricciardo going into turn 2 on lap 1. The safety car coming out to only shortly be replaced by a red flag as stewards worked to clear both cars off trach and repair the damage to the tyre wall.

 

All cars returned back to the track 20 minutes later for a standing start, the order remaining from qualifying, with a lap yet to be completed. Both Mercedes drivers returned to the track with the intentions of completing a one stop race. At the second start, Verstappen made a good getaway, breaking away from his teammate in P2.

 

Zhou became the third retirement of the race, after gearbox issues, Sauber’s streak of disappoint continuing into the fourth race of the season.

Over the weekend, Mercedes looked to have made progress with the possibility of being Red Bulls main competition this weekend. While the pace looked to be promising over the weekend, unfortunately for the team this did not translate into their race pace. Russell’s pace remained more promising than Hamilton’s, Hamilton even offering to switch position with his teammate in the quicker Mercedes on Lap 14, Hamilton dropping back into P8.

 

It was a solid day for Leclerc, landing driver of the day. Leclerc temporarily holding the lead halfway through the race after Verstappen went to pit. Leclerc doing well to nurse his tyres, holding out his medium tyres for longer than the other drivers on the same compound. On lap 26, Leclerc lost grip going wide at turn 9, allowing Perez to pass and move up into P2, in the process of going wide, Leclerc made himself vulnerable to Norris. Leclerc responding to this threat by pitting straight away, followed by Norris.

While Logan Sargeant missed out last time out in Australia, it was Albon to miss out this weekend after the crash, leaving Sargeant out alone to fight for points. Sargeant having a brilliant race as he climbed up the pack dancing with the back of the points up in P11. Sergeants progress quickly being undone after Sargeant locked up and went off track on lap 42 at turn 9. The yellow flag was brought out as Sargeant reversed back onto the track and joining at the back of the grid, where he remained for the final 9 laps.

 

Come the chequered flag, it was Verstappen to return after an unfortunate brake failure last race, making it a third consecutive win from pole in Suzuka, matching Schumacher’s record in Suzuka from 2002-2004. Verstappen also picked up the fastest lap to see another point added to his return to the top of the championship. For Mercedes it was a P9 and P7 finish, Russell making a late move on Piastri after a lock up on the final lap moving up into P7, Mercedes would have hoped for more but will be happy to take 3 after scoring none in Australia.

 

For home hero Tsunoda, he will be happy to walk away from this weekend with a points finish, taking the final available point in P10.